Moments of Weakness
by Shizuku Tsukishima749
Summary: The aftermath of "Night of Fear."  The Monkey Team does not recover as well as first imagined.
1. Sprx

_A/N: _As the summary says, these are drabbles focusing on the aftermath of one of my favorite episodes, "Night of Fear." I'm going in chronological order of the episode, and some of them might be longer or shorter than others. There will be one chapter for each Team member, and perhaps one that ties them all together.

**One: Sprx is afraid of losing his sight.**

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**Moments of Weakness**

Sprx wakes from his nightmare.

It's been one week since Mandarin used Valina's powers to make him crash the Fist Rocket and lose his sight.

Being lost in unending darkness is a practical fear for anyone, true.

But when that person is a pilot, it's like announcing the end of the world.

To have the lights go out, to face the possibility of never piloting his baby again…

Sprx was convinced his condition could be no worse than it already was.

But hours later he found himself contradicted.

When he and the others were surrounded by who-knows-what, when he could hear his friends screaming and fighting all around him, when he was _useless _to them without his eyes…

It was the worst feeling in the world.

And so now, losing his eyesight for good is not what frightens him.

No.

Instead, it is losing his eyesight and failing those he loves the most because of its effects.

But as he rubs his eyes, turns on his bedside light, and looks at the group picture of the Team on his nightstand, he smiles.

As long as he can _see _his family, as long as he is able to help them defeat Valina and Mandarin and win this fight once and for all, he knows he'll be all right.

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_A/N: _Thanks for reading, as always!


	2. Gibson

_A/N: _Surprisingly, even though Gibs is probably my least favorite character (he's _awesome_, don't get me wrong, I just...like the others better? XP), I actually found I had a lot to say about him.

**Two: Gibson's afraid of looking like an idiot.**

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Gibson wakes from his nightmare.

It's been one week since Mandarin used Valina's powers to make him appear a bumbling imbecile.

He's always been the smart one, the one to solve the Team's problems and send them on their way to victory.

But that night, he hadn't been smart enough to do anything right.

When Sprx had come to him with his eyes blown out, Gibson had _promised_ his brother he would make him good as new.

But then he'd started spouting gibberish, started _doing _things that were absolute poppycock, and he hadn't been able to stop himself.

The others had had to hold him fast to keep him from dissecting Sprx right then and there!

And throughout the rest of the night, it had only gotten worse.

(Asking Antauri about his face when he'd obviously been looking at his elder brother's…posterior…was just one grievous example…)

He'd _hated_ looking like such a scatterbrained idiot in front of his Team, in front of his brothers and sister and beloved leader.

They'd _needed his help_, and he could only cluck around, spurting naught but useless nonsense!

The fact that he'd been ineffective in every conceivable manner of potential aid…he'd never been more afraid.

But as he scratches his head, turns on his bedside light, and looks at the group picture of the Team on his nightstand, he smiles.

As long as he can solve his family's problems, as long as he is able to help them defeat Valina and Mandarin and win this fight once and for all, he knows he'll be all right.

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_A/N: _Thanks for reading, as always!


	3. Antauri

_A/N: _As far as favorite characters go, Antauri is right behind Chiro, and besides that he had a very interesting part in the episode, so I had a lot more to write about!

**Three: Antauri's afraid of losing control of his new body.**

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Antauri wakes from his nightmare.

It's been one week since Mandarin used Valina's powers to take control of his metal body and then force him to attack his beloved Team.

It had been utterly terrifying, having dominance be wrenched away.

His body had gone haywire, nearly making him split Sprx's head open and almost being too slow to save Chiro, Otto, and Gibson from the Robot's automatic defenses.

And then, the worst act of all had come into play:

Mandarin had shown himself.

He'd transformed Chiro into a defenseless child.

Antauri had been further influenced by Valina's witchcraft to kill the boy.

It was in this instant that the silver monkey had come to know true fear.

This was the embodiment of both of his worst nightmares:

Losing Chiro and losing charge.

To attack the child—his precious student, his Chosen One, his _son_-all while knowing that Chiro in turn saw him as his _Father_…

It was absolutely wretched.

Otto and Gibson had gone with the boy to protect him as well as was possible, but it had killed Antauri ever more to fight his dear younger brothers.

And then there had been the run-in with Sprx and Nova.

The poor girl had completely lost her spirit, and her steadfast soldier was blind as ever.

They had been so happy to see him, and Antauri had both cried silent tears and fought all the harder to warn them.

If he hadn't succeeded in that one second… He shudders to think what would have happened.

When they'd shut him down by working together, he'd been so proud, so relieved.

Undoubtedly, losing control of his metallic body and suffering the loss of his darling child, his dearly-loved _family_, have always been Antauri's worst fears.

But as he runs his hands over his elemental body, uses telepathy to turn on his bedroom light, and looks at the group picture of the Team on his wall, he smiles.

As long as he can keep control and preserve his family, as long as he is able to help them defeat Valina and Mandarin and win this fight once and for all, he knows he'll be all right.

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_A/N: _Antauri and Chiro's relationship is my absolute favorite in the series, so I often sneak little points of it in all of my stories. But when it's a chapter centered around either one of them..._look out_! lol.

Thanks for reading, as always!


	4. Nova

_A/N: _Oddly enough, even though Nova's my fourth favorite character (Otto's third XD), I actually had a lot to say about her. Hopefully it wasn't _too _much...

**Four: Nova's afraid of losing her nerve.**

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Nova wakes from her nightmare.

It's been one week since Mandarin used Valina's powers to reduce her to a spineless coward.

She's always been the fighting spirit of her siblings.

Should an opportunity to either fight or erupt arise, Nova will be the one to jump.

(Though it is to her credit that she reins in her emotions when Antauri or Chiro order her to cool off.)

But that night was different.

She'd been battling all-out, bludgeoning monsters left and right, when her very heart had trembled.

Everything-the machines they were fighting and people she'd known her entire life-became unfamiliar to her in the blink of an eye.

Terrified, she'd run from the heat of battle.

And Chiro…

She'd heard his voice and glimpsed his shadow as it stretched across the floor. In looking up, she'd seen a monster and screamed.

He spoke softly to her all the time nonetheless, and at last she recognized her beloved child for who he was.

Running to and clutching him, she'd shakily admitted her cowardice and allowed the tears to come.

She was the fighter, the strong one, the simian who refused to back down when everyone else gave up.

Granted, she was surrounded by _family_, and it wasn't like she was facing her fears alone—the others were being assaulted by horrors equally as terrible as or far worse than her own.

But that hadn't made being a coward any more enjoyable.

So when they ran into trouble and she turned tail again…when she'd taken Sprx and left the others to _fend for themselves_ instead of protecting them like always…she had never hated herself more.

It was several minutes later when she and her red companion found Antauri again.

She'd been thrilled.

Surely her eldest brother would know what to do, would know who was behind this fiasco and how to take him down!

But then he'd shouted for her and Sprx to stay back lest they be killed by his uncooperative metallic body, and her world had come crashing down.

She'd almost lost her head when the red monkey had told her to switch off the silver monkey.

_Shut him_…_down_…? She couldn't do that! This was her confidant, her best friend, her _big __brother_!

But Sprx said there was no other choice, and something in the way Antauri's lifeless eyes bore into her told her just the same.

And though she had been reluctant indeed, shaking like a leaf and crying bitter tears all the time, she'd done it for the good of all of them.

But as she clenches her fists, turns on her bedside light, and looks at the group picture of the Team on her nightstand, she smiles.

As long as she can retain her courage and protect her family from harm, as long as she is able to help them defeat Valina and Mandarin and win this fight once and for all, she knows she'll be all right.

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_A/N: _Is this one okay? I felt like the ending didn't..._click _like it did for the others...

As for calling Chiro 'her beloved child,' many people see Chiro and Nova as having a Mother-son bond (like the Antauri and Chiro Father-son bond), and to be honest I see that sometimes as well. Thus, that was a tribute to it.

Think I should do one for Mandarin, too? I wasn't planning on it, but since he has a fear, too...? And what about the Super Robot? Almost forgot him. XD Is this one

Thanks for reading, as always!


	5. Chiro

_A/N: Chiro is my favorite character, has been ever since the series premiere. And even after six years, this hasn't changed. The boy is one of the sweetest, kindest, most loving characters I have ever known in any fandom, and I _love _him for being the way he is. Just a little Chiro lovin' I felt needed to be professed. XD _

**Five: Chiro's afraid of being powerless.**

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Chiro wakes from his nightmare.

It's been one week since Mandarin used Valina's powers to turn him into a powerless little boy.

As a child, he'd always wondered what having superpowers was like.

And now that he knew he never wanted to go back to being normal.

But as Antauri says, nothing lasts forever.

For with one blast of magical energy, everything he'd ever feared was upon him.

A young boy of five or six without any powers whatsoever... Dear Shuggazoom, this brought back memories...

Before Chiro had met the Monkey Team, he'd lived at the city orphanage.

He'd kept to himself for the larger part of those miserable years—one of the things he remembered most was the emotional and physical pain he'd endured at the hands of the other kids, the ones who thought he was weird—and he'd hated every moment.

He'd wished for someone, _anyone_, to take him away from the taunts, from the beatings, from the stifling loneliness, from the utter _abyss _in which he lived.

And finally, thirteen years later there came a day he will remember and cherish with all that is in him:

Everything he had ever prayed for and more he found in an abandoned Super Robot and in five cybernetic monkeys.

How close they had become since then—best friends, the closest family this side of the Centauri Moons—all Chiro had ever wanted.

But therein laid the darker side of this transformation.

Powers or no powers, he knew he'd forever have his friends' loyalty and love.

Powers or no powers, he knew they would protect and care for him all through.

Powers or no powers, they would readily put their lives at risk for his.

But that was just what he _didn't _want.

He wanted them to _live_, to _love _and _thrive _and _win this war_, whether they did it with or without him.

He didn't want to be the reason they died, Chosen One or not.

And then to add blood-curdling insult to open-injury, Antauri had been taken.

The tears that swam in his eyes were in no way, shape, or form a product of his new form.

The silver monkey had just time enough to warn Chiro before he had been sucked in by Valina's power, and even then the boy had almost been decapitated.

At that moment Chiro had fled, Otto and Gibson fending off their bewitched eldest brother to keep him from destroying his precious child.

It had been hideous, trying to stay one step ahead of the sole person in Chiro's life who he hadn't been afraid to call Father, who had ever cared as much as Antauri did.

And Mandarin knew both he and the silver monkey would rather be destroyed permanently than die by each other's hand. The orange monkey, black-hearted as he had become, was deliberately using their utmost weakness against them.

The three had lost him in the ventilation system after a while, but as expected things had gotten worse before they'd gotten better.

To end a night so fearful, Mandarin had used Chiro as leverage against the Super Robot, had nearly succeeded in killing him.

But as he senses the Power Primate within and throws back the covers to reveal his fourteen-year-old form, turns on his bedside light, and looks at the group picture of the Team on his nightstand, he smiles.

As long as he can use his powers for the betterment of his family, as long as he is able to help them defeat Valina and Mandarin and win this fight once and for all, he knows he'll be all right.

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_A/N: _As promised, and as if you would expect any less, Antauri-Chiro father-son relationship, ho!

Also, the fill-ins in Chiro's past, up until he finds the Super Robot, are aspects of my theory about him, which will be expounded upon in my upcoming fic, 'Reasons Why,' which also delves into the theory of Skeleton King being Chiro's Father.

Oh, and the 'Centauri Moons' was used as a shout-out to one of my other favorite shows, Teen Titans, on which Chiro's voice actor, Greg Cipes, appears as Beast Boy! XD

Thanks for reading, as always!


	6. Otto

_A/N: _Otto. RULES. Bottom line. XD No, really. He's such a sweet character, and his childlike innocence and obliviousness is so cute! He's my third favorite character, but because his fear was a little...odd...I winged it. Hopefully, this is adequate (this is also the first with actual dialogue! XD).

**Six: Otto's afraid of clams...with feet.**

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Otto wakes from his nightmare.

It's been one week since Mandarin used Valina's powers to conjure one of his most hated memories.

At the time, he'd felt guilty.

Everybody else had practical fears—things that _should _and offered more-than-worthy _reason_ to be feared—but _he_ was afraid of…well, in Chiro's words, "Clams with…_feet_?"

But the root of his fear was deeper and not so bizarre as all that.

Otto's imagination ran wild naturally. It always had.

And so it was no surprise when, some years before Mandarin turned traitor, it got the better of him once more.

The Team had sat down to Gibson's seafood meal after a hard day.

Otto decided to play with his clams prior to eating them, and he was just getting into the scene he was creating when a bowl of the shellfish flew to hit him square on the head.

Snapping up, he looked to his brothers and sister.

Nova, Sprx, Gibson, and Antauri had stopped eating and were averting their eyes, but Mandarin… He was scowling at the green monkey, eyes ablaze. The mechanic gulped.

"Otto," the orange monkey began, trying to keep his temper under control, "what have I told you about playing with your food?"

The youngest of the Team looked away, drawing with one finger on his plate.

"Uh…not to…?"

"_Yes_, Otto," Mandarin affirmed through clenched teeth, "and do you know _why _I say such a thing?"

The green simian sank lower in his chair. He knew _very _well….

"B-because…" he started quietly, "…because we're not s-savages. We're not…not like Skeleton King. We—we don't—"

He couldn't bear to finish, nearly gagging as images of the mutant madman playing with his already-murdered victims flashed in his mind.

The Leader's eyes glinted and a growl rose in his throat.

"That's right, my brother," he said, commanding, raspy voice giving the everyday phrase a chilling edge. "_We _are not _savages_."

(The feet were the product of his memories, were of the people they hadn't been quick enough to save.)

And ever since then, Otto had been terrified.

But as he shakes his head to clear it, turns on his bedside light, and looks at the group picture of the Team on his nightstand, he smiles.

As long as he can prevent his family from becoming one of those 'images,' as long as he is able to help them defeat Valina and Mandarin and win this fight once and for all, he knows he'll be all right.

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_A/N: _Mandarin has always been a bit of a harsh leader, I think, and that's why he seems almost like his traitor-self here. XD There was only one instance in "Golden Age" that really showed his still-stern, commanding, scary pre-series personality, and so I tried to go off of that as best I could... It was honestly pretty much the same as he is now, however, so... XP

Thanks for reading, as always! I hope everybody's in character!


	7. Super Robot

_A/N: _The Super Robot has always intrigued me, ever since it came alive in "Ghost in the Machinder" and _especially _after seeing "Prototype." It kicked _butt_ and was so human-like...! _Loved it_! Thus, I _had _to write a chapter about it! (And I know Slingshot addressed the Super Robot as 'he' in "Prototype," but I used 'it' to make it easier to distinguish between characters. XD)

**Seven: The Super Robot's afraid of losing Chiro.**

* * *

The Super Robot's internal sensory circuits give a jolt in the night.

It's been one week since Mandarin used Valina's powers to pit its resolve against its soul.

The machine had always felt indebted to Chiro.

The child was the Chosen One they'd all been waiting for, the one to wake it from its long sleep, the one to send the warming electric currents through its machinery at long last.

The boy had reunited it with its beloved Monkey Team, the friends it had missed since that dark day when all had been shut down.

And as Chiro was integrated into the Team, the Super Robot, though not able to express it, grew to love the child all the more.

The fourteen-year-old was kind, protective, loving, strong—everything the machine had ever dreamed the prophesied Chosen One to be and so much more.

And that was why, on that terrible night when the King of All Evil's loyal servant had infiltrated its system and brought its precious Team's greatest fears to life…it hadn't been able to do a thing to help them.

The Super Robot had tried to defend itself and its family against Mandarin, but the cunning trickster had taken hold of Chiro and threatened his life.

The boy—and surely the monkeys as well, yet there was something _about _Chiro—was everything to it.

The machine had had no choice but to back down.

It _couldn't _hurt that beautiful child….

The monkeys, it knew, were relieved and agreed with its decision.

They, too, would sooner die themselves than live knowing their stubbornness was what had caused the death of one so dearly loved by all who knew him.

But as it reshuffles its computer-brain, makes sure all of its security-defense systems are online and fully-operational, and looks in on each of its Team members, it smiles.

As long as it can uphold the light that is Chiro and the Monkey Team, as long as it is able to help them defeat Valina and Mandarin and win this fight once and for all, it knows it'll be all right.

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_A/N: _Thanks for reading, as always! (Do you guys want the chapter that ties everything together after I finish Mandarin?)


	8. Mandarin

_A/N: _Mandarin is a conundrum. He scares the _heck _out of me, and yet he's incredibly fascinating. I hope I kept him in character! The only time I've ever written him was in Otto's chapter... XD

**Eight: Mandarin's afraid of Valina.**

* * *

Mandarin wakes from his nightmare.

It's been one week since he used Valina's powers to bring his brothers', sister's, and that wretched _boy's _worst fears to life.

And honestly, he'd loved every minute of it.

Seeing those traitors writhe and cry and _hurt_ was one of the most gorgeous sights he had ever witnessed.

(But there was something in the darkest recesses of his black heart that had screamed like someone was being murdered. And as he'd chanced a look within, he'd seen it was the last twinkling remnant of his good heart, for his soul was made into a Devil's snack long ago.)

The one who deserved it the most, however, was not his treacherous former Team.

No, it was that worthless _child_ of a Chosen One.

His brothers and sister had come to love Chiro dearly in the year-and-some-months since meeting him.

And while there was no denying his connection with and control of the Power Primate was _exceptional_ and the others' training was doing _wonders_, the fact remained that he was _just __a_ _human whelp_!

Mandarin could kill him while half-dead.

And yet, as was foretold in the prophecy the Hyperforce chose _him _to lead, _him _to be the savior of the universe, and had left Mandarin in the H.O.O.P. to _rot _for all eternity.

He _hated _Chiro.

That said, what better way to rid oneself of one's enemy than by thy enemy's closest ally?

He'd chosen Antauri.

The silver monkey, his former second-in-command, had taken a strong liking to Chiro from the beginning and had grown to love the little wretch as if he were his own son. And as happened with most things such as this, Chiro returned the affections wholeheartedly.

It was absolutely _revolting_.

Watching as the child—and truly, thanks to Valina's witchcraft, he had been changed as much—trembled and cried and _ran _from his Father-turned-soulless-machine, Mandarin's black heart pulsed in glee.

But the ultimate thrill came in holding the sniveling toddler hostage.

The monkeys and their Super Robot would _never _harm their precious boy-leader, and in knowing this there was no one to stop him as he went in for the kill—

A snap of cord, Chiro's hideously confident voice, and the one thing Mandarin feared above all else.

_Valina_.

The Skull Witch was devoted to Skeleton King, unhealthily so, and there was a madness to her that blew even his insanity out of the black ooze.

She had enacted her revenge that night—is still enacting it now—and the orange monkey was and is terrified.

She'd tortured him, made him regret ever using her for his own personal gain, and made him her slave.

But as he glares down at his energy-collar and then turns it on the sleeping sorceress, looks out at the cave which harbors the Skeleton King's skull, and senses his victory within reach, he smiles.

As long as he can lead this witch along until the time is right to turn, as long as he is able to defeat those miserable traitors he called family and that stupid human wreck, he knows he'll be all right.

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_A/N: _I don't want this to end! It was fun! ...Okay, even though this fic will end with an odd numbered chapter...*shudders*...I'll do the 'tie-together' for chapter nine! Unless you guys don't want it, that is... XP)

Sorry if you guys think I focused on Chiro too much, but I thought it really fit. XD I mean, I loved it because their relationship fascinates me, which would explain my upcoming fic on them entitled "Absolute Power," but... lol.

Thanks for reading, as always!


	9. All

_A/N: _This is the final chapter, everybody, the one that ties everything together! Thanks so much to everyone who has read and reviewed/alerted/faved this! I'm so glad you enjoyed this! I loved writing this; it was so fun! Rock on! (Now, off to write more of 'Susceptible!' XD)

**Nine: Everyone's afraid of something.**

* * *

It's been one week since everything.

Both sides of the spectrum—good and evil alike—are recovering, if slowly.

The monkeys awake with their fur dulled and their stomachs queasy;

Chiro awakes, pale-faced and with bags under his eyes;

The Super Robot 'awakes,' immediately scanning for danger and then making detailed rounds through its systems;

Mandarin awakes, snarling and fighting all the time for the day when he will shine once more.

That was one of their worst experiences of their lives, indisputably.

They have been scarred—

The Monkey Team and Mandarin have never been more deep-heartedly affected.

They have learned from and of each other—

They have weaknesses, strengths, hidden pasts and motives and _inner_ _hearts_.

They have peered into the hearts of their enemies—

Sprx is afraid of losing his sight;

Gibson is afraid of looking like an idiot;

Antauri is afraid of losing control of his new body;

Nova is afraid of losing her nerve;

Chiro is afraid of being powerless;

Otto is afraid of clams with feet;

The Super Robot is afraid of losing Chiro;

Mandarin is afraid of Valina.

They have lived through this night of fear by the strength of belief in themselves and of love for each other, and that is all that can be asked.

Besides:

In the end, they are all the stronger for it.

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_A/N: _Thanks for reading, as always!


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